Latest News
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Petco Holdings joins IndePet
We are excited to welcome Michael Andrew and his business Petco Holdings to the IndePet Group.
Michael has a wealth of experience in the pet industry opening his first pet store in 1997 and has since enjoyed a long career in the industry opening many stores under different brands. PetCo Direct is a pet store located in Victoria and prides itself on offering a wide range of products for all pets.
Michael also has a passion for reptiles, birds and all things aquarium and has numerous speciality stores across Victoria and 1 in South Australia.
Michael currently owns and operates 5 retail locations and 1 warehouse including:
Petco Direct Warehouse:
25 Kiddle Drive Lara 3212. Victoria. Australia.
Petco Direct Retail Store:
1/352 Old Geelong Rd Hoppers Crossing 3029
Retail Stores (Waterlife, VBC and Reptile Life):
2/2 Shaft Court, Hoppers Crossing 3029
57 Alkira Ave, Norlane (Geelong) 3214
Retail Store ABC Adelaide Bird Co:
16 Wiley Street, Elizabeth South 5112
We are looking forward to working with Michael to help support and strengthen his businesses, as well as add his impressive portfolio of stores to the group.
IndePet is proud to now support over 55 independently owned pet stores across Australia and New Zealand! We continue to ensure the longevity and prosperity of Independent pet stores.
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IndePet & IndiHub Partnership
IndePet’s partnership has gone from strength to strength with IndiHub the past year, a membership-based service which connects stores with the best suppliers and service providers in the industry.
As a member of IndePet, IndiHub provides obligation-free cost saving assessment of store’s services such as electricity, insurance, and EFTPOS merchant fees. IndiHub services over 2000 independent retailers and uses the power of the group to get the best value for its members helping you save thousands on the everyday running of your business.
Our members have seen considerable savings since the partnership began with a total savings of $186,745 across the network in Eftpos, Electricity and Insurance cost savings. Engagement has been high with 15 stores signed up and renewed.
Hans Petiet from Tails Pet Centre says “I am now in my second year using “IndiHub”. My thoughts on this service so far are, that it is worthwhile. Like most service providers, each year will be different from the previous, but to date I have been very happy with the service provided, especially with all the savings implemented across available portfolios. The areas I have made savings are electricity, insurance, banking, shelving and commercial display whitegoods.”
This is just the beginning and as stores become more familiar and confident with how IndiHub can help their store, there will be a lot more savings to be had.
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IndePet History. A little trip down memory lane…
A little trip down memory lane…
IndePet was founded in 2010 when a group of like-minded Australian independent pet store owners decided to come together and join forces.
All members were driven by a core belief in the strength of the independent retailer model who wanted to remain independent, however knew they would be stronger together.
In the years leading up to the foundation of IndePet, the pet industry had experienced tremendous growth around Australia with big corporate retailers moving into the market. There was a realisation that by tapping the collective power, we could not only respond to any corporate maneuvering, but we could bring scale, efficiency, and leadership to the ongoing expansion of this dynamic market.
In 2012, New Zealand joined our group and we currently have over 50 stores across Australia and New Zealand.
Today, IndePet is wholly owned by the pet store owners and the board remain our founders who first started this group. We continue to move forward and be stronger together with big plans and goals for the future as well as expanding our services to meet the needs of the group.
We would love for you to hear from some of our current members…
Hans Petiet, Tails Pet Centre Tea Tree Gully
“Joining and being a part of the IndePet Group has been invaluable. Sharing excellent and practical knowledge together with other independent stores has helped my business continue to grow and exceed expectation in our challenging economic environment. Now, more than ever before, we need to work together to maintain our high-quality service to the local community.”
John Counihan, Mt Barker Pet Care Centre
“Being part of a like-minded group of people gives me an opportunity to network and learn from others in the industry. IndePet is owned and directed by independent pet store owners like me who want to make our stores, and the industry, the best they can be. The IndePet network is an invaluable resource that we all need now, more than ever.”
Jaquie Pryor, Wonthaggi Pet Supplies
“Being an independent pet store owner can be tough, but being a part of IndePet makes it easier. IndePet helps save me time and money, as well as giving me a network of other pet stores who are on my side. IndePet helps me keep my business strong into the future.”
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Phoenix Pet Food
We are very proud that Phoenix was designed and created by IndePet alongside an expert pet nutritionist. We wanted to give pet owners a premium dog food that is transparent about its owners, its food sources and manufacturing processes.
We put our decades of experience, knowledge and passion to create a quality food for our customer’s dogs.
Phoenix prides itself on being environmentally conscious with sustainably soucred local ingredients and packaged in environmentally friendly bags.
We are proud to offer our customers locally owned, highly nutritious food that was specially formulated by local, independent pet store owners alongside an expert animal nutritionist.
Our quality food is grain-free, high protein, hypoallergenic, and we are proudly the only pet food in Australia that uses whole fresh Barramundi. As well as complete with vitamins, minerals and nutrients, our food has therapeutically beneficial levels of added Glucosamine and Chondroitin.
Our ingredients are sourced from around Australia, then sent to a family run factory in New South Whales to make the magic happen.
We currently have 3 adult ranges including our Turkey, Duck & Chicken, Goat & Lamb and Ocean Fish & Barramundi. We are excited for the future with exciting plans to extend the range. Watch this space.
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IndePet partners with Australian Lions Hearing Dogs
We are excited to announce that some of our IndePet stores across Australia are partnering with Australian Lions Hearing Dogs for their upcoming National Hearing Dog Day.
Participating stores will be selling their iconic orange National Hearing Dog Day shoelaces and raising money for the Hearing Assistance Dog program throughout the month of April.
For over 40 years, Australian Lions Hearing Dogs (ALHD) has been providing Australians who are deaf or hard of hearing a set of ‘furry ears’ free of charge. In 2022, ALHD has delivered 31 Australians a professionally trained Hearing Assistance Dog.
We are extremely proud to be involved with such a wonderful organisation and community initiative.
Participating stores include:
SA
Mt Barker Pet Care CentreCentre
Pet Land Stores Campbelltown
Pet Zone Woodville
QLD
North Lakes Pet World
Pet Destination
NSW
We know pets
The Pet Shop Boyz
World 4 Pets (North Richmond and Vineyard)
Macarthur Pets
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IndePet celebrates International Women’s Day
IndePet celebrated International Women’s Day by hosting 80 guests on Wednesday 6 March at Captain Melville in Melbourne.
Guests from across the industry, from suppliers to store owners to groomers to vets, attended the event, which had the theme ‘Women in Pet – The Trailblazers of Our Industry’ and featured esteemed women from across the pet industry.
The event started with a keynote speech by Dr Katrina Warren, who gave an engaging and insightful recap of her over 30 years in the pet and television industry. Dr Warren discussed how much the industry has changed for both women and pets over the past few decades.
Tia Wishart, Business Development Manager at IndePet, said three years ago she came up with the idea of creating an event that transcends corporations, brands, and affiliations and is truly about the people and celebrates the women that make up her amazing industry.
“Last week it happened! At IndePet we believe we are stronger together, and the event was a beautiful example of this, with so many women from different corners of the industry coming together to celebrate each other. The theme was trailblazers of the industry, and our keynote and panellists truly represented this.”
Following the keynote, there was a Q&A with a panel of women who have blazed a trail in the industry. Panellists included Julie Dillon, CEO of Animal Care at EBOS (Masterpet), Jess Gibbins, owner and founder of La Doggie Vita, Diana Scott, founder of Frontier Pet Foods and Dr Katrina, who all shared their experiences with attendees.
Krysten Arnold, Marketing Manager at IndePet, said it was a very special afternoon and left her feeling extremely proud to be a part of the industry.
“Dr Katrina and the panellists spoke beautifully, and I found their stories so inspiring. The vibe felt so warm whether it be with people I had just met or others I hadn’t seen in years.”
Over the course of the event, guests had a chance to catch up with old friends or make new connections over drinks and canapes.
Todd Clarkson, CEO of IndePet, said they have had this event on their radar for three years, and it was a real team effort to bring it all together.
“With the lack of an industry wide event like this, despite such strong female leadership, and with women representing over 80 per cent of our IndePet team, it was a no brainer to let them run with the event. I am proud of all of their hard work, and I look forward to seeing what they can do for next year’s event as we continue to champion the women of our industry.”
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Shop at your local pet store this Christmas
Christmas is great time of the year to support local businesses including local independently owned pet stores… so this Christmas (and always) think local first when shopping for your pets.
When you support your local pet store, more money stays within the community, creating jobs and encouraging economic growth.
In addition to the economic benefits, shopping locally contributes to a more sustainable and eco-friendlier holiday season by reducing the need for long-distance transportation and the associated carbon footprint. It also minimises the chance of shipping and postal delays.
The care and sense of community you get when walking into your local pet store is something the corporate retailer cannot compete with. Many of our stores are doing wonderful initiatives including raising money and goods for local pet shelters, Santa photos, raffles, gift wrapping, pet education sessions, adoption days and so much more. Our store owners and team members are passionate about their community and are continuously thinking of ways to enhance the shopping experience for you and your pets.
We also know times are tough and shopping for great deals is important right now, particularly at this time of the year. Shopping local doesn’t mean you miss out on big savings. Our IndePet stores have some amazing discounts across a wide range of big brands including Hills, Royal Canin, Black Hawk, Kazoo and NexGard Spectra (just to name a few).
Convenience is also a huge factor when it comes to deciding where to shop and many of the stores in our group have online and click & collect. We encourage you all to give back to your local community and shop local, when possible, this Christmas.
Give your pet the Christmas they deserve at your local pet store. We hope you all have a merry Christmas and safe new year!
To find your local IndePet store, click here https://indepet.com.au/store-locator
For great offers in Australia click here https://indepet.com.au/current-deals-au
For great offers in New Zealand click here https://indepet.com.au/current-deals-nz
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IndePet and PD Insurance Partnership
IndePet is always working towards helping our store network increase profit, lower costs, and strengthen the group of independent pet stores in New Zealand and Australia.
We recently partnered with PD Pet Insurance to help support customers in accessing pet insurance and to create a passive income stream for stores.
Why is Pet Insurance Important?
Research conducted by PD Insurance showed that more than half our respondents either can’t or aren’t sure if they can afford a $1000+ vet bill. That is pretty concerning when you consider 1 in 5 of them who have/have had insurance say they’d claimed $2,500 or more from their pet insurer in just one year.
There is a growing sentiment amongst customers, especially millennials, about the importance of pet insurance as part of responsible pet ownership.
Indepet stores support the best care for their customers and their pets, offering a pet insurance option is a great thing to add to the already amazing range of services and support our stores offer.
Why PD Insurance?
PD Insurance is:
• Trans-Tasman and can partner with all stores in the Indepet group
• Recommended and supported by Indepet members “I really recommend PD Insurance; really easy and by far the best insurance policy rewards…” – Mike Tasker
• Committed to faultless customer service and a best-in-class insurance experience
• Supporting people to bring pets into their family in a responsible way
• Working to simplify the pet insurance policy process for customers – they offer, 3 simple plans with 3 simple excesses
• Providing peace of mind to pet parents when they are choosing their pet insurer
• Offering an exclusive deal to the Indepet Group
How does it work?
The store gets:
• Branded pet insurance brochures/posters bespoke to your store
• A customer service team ready to assist
• Instore referral code unique to your store – this ensures all referrals are linked to your store
• A referrer fee for every customer who signs up to a PD insurance policy
• A lead generation fee for any customer details successfully provided to PD insurance
The customers get:
• Generous FREE insurance periods for example pets under 1 year old, get up to 4 MONTHS FREE months, so nothing to pay.
• A boost in their initial FREE sign-up periods when using your referral code.
• Access to the PD Insurance team to help them navigate the pet insurance policy journey
• Peace of mind and protection for their pet.
The PD insurance team is made up of pet loving individuals just like us and are available to assist with any customer enquiries! Find out more about PD Pet Insurance here https://indepet.com.au/wp-admin/.
Kellyville Pets turns 40
Congratulations to Kellyville Pets 40 Years of Day Making!
The IndePet team is very proud to wish John, Siggy and the whole team at Kellyville Pets a very Happy 40th Store Birthday!
The motto of Kellyville Pets is to “make the day” of everyone who steps foot in the store, and 1 visit will show you all the amazing and creative ways they do this!
Kellyville started with humble beginnings but big aspirations! In 1983, John started the business by selling pets on the weekend when he was still in school. The focus of the business has always been on offering the best in pet care, and this value has stayed true as the business has grown. Kellyville is always testing and trialling new ways to do things and have been a leader in driving the industry forward.
IndePet are proud to have Kellyville in the group and can’t wait to see what the next 40 years brings for this remarkable business and its passionate team!
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IndePet Launches PetCademy
IndePet is changing the way the independent pet channel drives training in stores. We realise the importance of team training and the role it plays for both enriching the workplace for team members and giving customers the best possible shopping experience. There was a huge opportunity to level up in this area with 90% of our stores telling us that training was the most important factor determining their success. Suppliers also view product and brand training as their key focus for stores. With that being said, we have partnered with the Retail Doctor Group to launch our new state of the art online training platform ‘PetCademy’ available to all of our members and their teams.
One of the main goals of the platform is to provide enrichment for team members. Employees are more likely to stay with a company longer and be more engaged if they are invested in their development. It’s also a great tool for attracting the right staff for your business as training is well regarded. It is proven that companies who create an environment where team members are highly engaged, can expect to see a significate increase in profit.
There is a wide range of training modules on the program available to all team members including product, retail and business management. Team members can access the program from anywhere at any time, is easy to use and provides certificates for module completion.
This initiative is a part of our ongoing commitment to help grow stores revenue, reduce costs and ultimately stay competitive in the market. We are excited to offer this to our members and look forward to seeing stores engage and for the program to evolve over time.